Site of Action of Growth Inhibitory Tryptophan Analogues in Catharanthus Roseus Cell Suspension Cultures

Abstract

Fourteen tryptophan analogues have been characterized w ith regard to their grow thin hibitory effects on Catharanthus roseus cell cultures, their inhibitory effect on anthranilate synthetase, their incorporation into protein and th eir substrate affinity to tryptophan decarboxylase.The toxicity of 12 of the analogues was directly correlated with their inhibitory effect on anthranilate synthetase activity. N one of the analogues was efficiently in corporated into protein.Only 4 of the analogues (4-methyl-,4-fluoro-,5-fluoro-and 5-hydroxytryptophan) were good substrates for tryptophan decarboxylase while all other analogues were rather poor substrates or were not converted at all. Alpha-methyltryptophan was acompetitive inhibitor of tryptophande carboxylase. © 1983, Walter de Gruyter. All rights reserved.